


In the Slumbering Weald, K-I-S-S-I-N-G

by dontoverthinkthis



Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: F/M, Friends to Lovers, Halle is 15, Piers is 19, still friends
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:49:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25044172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dontoverthinkthis/pseuds/dontoverthinkthis
Summary: Halle and Piers confess their feelings for each other after a heart-to-heart in the Slumbering Weald.
Relationships: Nezu | Piers/Original Pokemon Trainer(s)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	In the Slumbering Weald, K-I-S-S-I-N-G

“Here we are,” Halle sighs to the air, dropping her bag to the ground of the grave of the Legendary Heroes and sliding to sit down on the cold stone ground, drawing her legs up close and hugging them to her chest, burying her face in her knees.. (Well, she and Hop know better. It’s the resting place of the Sword and Shield for the Legendary Pokemon, Zacian and Zamazenta, who’d helped the two save Galar four days ago. She hasn’t seen either Pokemon since, but hopes they’re safe and happy.) Just yesterday, she’d been crowned Galar region Champion. Though she’s happy she’s Champion, something feels off about her victory. 

It doesn’t feel real. Will it ever? In her heart, Halle still feels like Hop should have been the winner. It’s been his dream since they were young children, and she can’t help feeling like she cheated even if she did win by fair, legal, sportsmanlike means. 

Ever since she was a little girl, Halle had been fascinated by the Slumbering Weald. She was 8 years old when she moved to Galar from Cerulean City so her big sister Nessa could take the Gym Challenge (and eventually become the Water Gym Leader of Galar). The move was also for Halle, too-in Galar, there are many more opportunities to become part of the music industry. It’s Halle’s dream to be the lead singer of her own band, and she’s inching closer to that dream everyday. 

Well, now that she’s the Champion of Galar, her schedule is going to be packed for a little while. Don’t get her wrong, she’s overjoyed she was able to win, but it still doesn’t feel real, being a whole Champion. She’s still wondering if she deserves it, especially since she hasn’t seen Hop or Leon since the tournament. (Sensitive Halle can’t help but wonder if they hate her now.)

“There you are.” An eerily familiar voice says, and Halle’s pigtailed head shoots up, her poppy red eyes widening and breaking out in a wide grin.

“Piers!” The former Spikemuth Gym Leader walks up to where she’s sitting and takes a seat next to her on the cold ground with a loud sigh, his joints cracking audibly. “What are you doing here?”

“Came to see ya, love,” Piers replies, “your mum told ‘e where I could find ya.” He looks around the weald, landing his eyes back on Halle, and he frowns a bit. “You a’right, love? Where a’ yer Pokemon? The gorilla and the punk a usually hangin’ off ya.”

Halle’s grown pretty close to Piers, if she does say so herself. They called each other fairly often since their first battle (and Piers’ second or third to final match as Gym Leader), mostly talking about music and Pokemon. One time Halle talked to him about Roseli berries for an hour, but didn’t seem to mind. And by ‘gorilla’ and ‘punk’, Piers is referring to Halle’s Rillaboom, the Rev, and her Toxtricity, Sinister. She usually keeps them out of their balls to walk with her, but not today.

Halle sighs then smiles ruefully. “In their balls,” she answers, “I...think I needed the quiet today.” She glances at Piers hurriedly. “B-but, please stay. I’m really happy to see you.” A thought pops into her mind. “Wait, you went to my house?”

Pink colors Piers’ cheeks, so he ducks his head to keep her from seeing it, scratching his head as he did when he was embarrassed. “I wanted to see ya,” he says simply, deciding not to lie. Halle, as kooky as she is, is hella intuitive, and she sniffs out lies like Obstagoon sniffs out doughnuts. (Seriously, a whole dozen gone in three minutes!?)

Red colors Halle’s cheeks, and she turns away from Piers and starts playing with one of her pigtails, a habit she’d picked up from Sonia and one of the Gym Leaders she admired, a lass called Elesa in Unova. Pigtail-twirling usually comes from pleasure or embarrassment from Halle, and this situation is pretty fair for both emotions. “Thank you,” she says softly. Piers makes a soft grunt of acknowledgement and the two teens sit in silence. 

“So, why ya out here all by yer lonesome?” Piers asks. “Not that I mind, but this place is a bit on the edge of unsettlin’.”

Halle gives a short giggle as she lowers her legs and adjusts her sitting position to face Piers better. “It is unsettling,” she agrees, “but also peaceful. I’m here for quiet, and to think.”

“About what?” One thing that’s well known about Halle-she abhors quiet. She doesn’t do it, so naturally Piers is concerned that she’s here for it.

A wistful look overtakes Halle’s face, making her look older than her 15 years. “Do I really deserve to be Champion?” she asks. “I mean, I know I won. I know I did it fairly, I didn’t cheat, and I did it my way. But...I don’t know if I deserve it.”

Piers catches the end note of sadness in her voice. “What do ya mean?”

Halle looks at the ground. “I think Hop and Leon hate me now,” she confesses sadly. “I haven’t seen either of them since the tournament, and everyday I go to their house, but yet only their mom or their grandfather answers and they’re never there!” She sniffles, and Piers sees two droplets of moisture fall onto the concrete, realizing she’s crying.

Piers is no stranger to crying or feeling alone. When he was 6 and Marnie was 2, their parents died in an accident, leaving them in the care of Spikemuth’s residents. Those residents became their family, and eventually when Piers was old enough to take his mother’s mantle as Gym Leader, the residents became his Gym Trainers. When Marnie took the Gym Challenge, Piers’ Gym Trainers became Team Yell in support of her.

Even though Piers loves Marnie, Team Yell and Spikemuth with all his heart, he lost count of how many times he’s cried like Halle is doing now. Tears of sadness shed due to missing his parents, tears of anger for having to grow up way too early and be an adult to care for his sister (not that that was Marnie’s fault, not at all), tears of frustration about having way too many responsibilities as a Gym Leader and musician. Tears of pain are familiar to Piers, and he’s cried all of it in his mere 19 years. And now, he has Halle, Hop, hell, even Leon and Sonia and Raihan, along with many others. He reaches and hugs Halle, immediately stopping her sniffles.

“P-Piers?” Halle says in soft surprise as Piers hugs her tighter. Piers’ acts of affection primarily are helpful-he’ll give you directions and be your partner in a double battle, but unlike Halle-who is incredibly affectionate, both verbally and physically-he doesn’t do hugging or hand holding or anything like she does with her other friends. Hell, him putting his hand on her shoulder to distract Macros Cosmos’ guards at the station was a big step for him. 

“I know how ya feel, Hall,” Piers tells her, bringing a hand up to cup the back of her head to press it gently against his chest, “but, I can assure ya, reckless and directionless don’t hate yer guts like ya think. Battling is a ballad. It’s intense, but it can swiftly change course and become somber. Those two know ‘at. What matters is yer passion, like when yer singin’.” Fire burns Halle’s skin. She never realized Piers has heard her singing! Then again, maybe she shouldn’t be so surprised, she sings A LOT. Fingers tilt her face upwards and she meets Piers’ grey eyes. He’s got a soft smile on his face and suddenly he looks 19. Well, he always looks his age, but responsibility and bad posture and so much hair tends to make him look older. “Yer a good one, Halle. Outside of battle and in it.”

Halle is in awe of Piers’ words. “That’s beautiful,” she says, almost whispering, “you’re beautiful, Piers.” Ever since they met, Halle has had a crush on Piers for his passion and inner kindness, but she’s really happy that the two of them are friends. His beauty is both inside and outside.

Piers’ gloved fingers brush Halle’s face. “Not as much as you, love,” he whispers, pressing his forehead against hers. “Halle?”

“Yes, Piers?”

“Would ya mind terribly if I kissed ya?”

“Yes.” The word comes out in one hushed breath, and both teens shut their eyes, leaning in and pressing their lips together. 

The fireworks go off and the sparks fly. The sparks hit the nearby buildings and become a massive fire, but Halle and Piers are still very much alive. The fire is their passion and they aren’t burned by it at all. They’re electrified by it.

Breaking the kiss, Piers rests his forehead on Halle’s as they pant. “I love you,” the two of them say together, and Halle’s eyes shoot open to meet Piers’ wide ones. Grinning, the two both burst into laughter that resonates throughout the entire weald. 

“Let’s go,” Piers says, standing up and offering Halle a hand.

“Go where?” Halle asks, accepting his hand and standing up, but not letting go.

“Anywhere you want,” Piers smiles, brushing her cheek with his free hand.

“Let’s go!” Halle cries, pulling Piers along with her with a loud laugh. Piers laughs with her as they run through the weald, running wherever in love.

**Author's Note:**

> I love my player character Halle in Pokemon Sword a bunch. She's awesome and kooky and a musician! At least I pretend she is!  
> I honestly don't believe Piers is over the age of 21. I don't get why people estimate he's over 25, especially since he's based off British punk rockers, and a lot of them achieved fame or recognition when they were in their late teens or early 20's. So I estimate he's about 19, especially since he looks just a bit older than Bea and around Nessa's age.  
> Also, Nessa is Halle's older sister. I just think my character needed a sibling.  
> And my headcanon is that Team Yell are Spikemuth residents (I mean, duh!) who raised Marnie and Piers. If you look closely at them, they have features of older/middle-aged people (like wrinkles, fat deposits, slang, etc.) and Team Yell loves the kids, and Marnie and Piers love them, and I figured hey! Let's do that!


End file.
